Starting on 12 September, the City of Helsinki’s campaign against violence in close relationships targets children and young people, focusing on the theme of children’s right to integrity.
Five fingers – what is violence in close relationships?
No one has to put up with violence, including violence by loved ones or family members. Help is available both for victims and perpetrators of violence.
To identify violence in close relationships, you can take a test:
Put a finger down if …
– you cannot be yourself at home.
– someone makes you feel worthless.
– you feel scared at home, at school or with your friends.
– you are neglected.
– your bodily integrity has been violated.
Helsinki launches a campaign to reduce violence against children and young people. The campaign aims to help children and young people identify different forms of violence in close relationships, increase understanding of everyone’s right to integrity and a safe life and inform about the available help. The campaign informs children and young people about their fundamental rights through five key messages based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The narrative utilises the “put a finger down” format familiar from social media. Children and young people are also encouraged to tell somebody if they or someone close to them have experienced violence.
The campaign will be conducted via social media, outdoor advertising and practical work by the City of Helsinki’s services for children and young people. Participants in the campaign include professional basketball player Shawn Hopkins (@Holyhopkins), one of Finland’s most-followed TikTok influencers Pinkku Pinsku (@Pinkkupinsku), and actress Vivi Wahlström (@ viviwahlstrom) from the popular TV series “Salatut elämät”.
Educational material produced on violence in close relationships aims to increase Helsinki early childhood education, school and educational institute personnel’s awareness of the forms of violence in close relationships and how to deal with it. The theme will be discussed during the autumn in basic and upper secondary education through the campaign material.
Culture and Leisure Division and Social and Health Care Services will also display the campaign material at their locations.
The campaign against violence in close relationships is produced by the City of Helsinki in close cooperation with the organisations and operators in the field. Key contributors to this year’s campaign focusing on children and young people include the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare’s, Nollalinja (Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare), Online shelter
(Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters) and the Youth Shelter (Finnish Red Cross).
According to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare’s (THL) School Health Promotion study conducted in 2021, most Helsinki children and young people are satisfied with their lives. However, the sense of safety in the growing environment has deteriorated, and mental well-being challenges have become more common. In younger age groups, physical violence by parents or guardians is more frequent in Helsinki than in the whole country on average. Psychological violence by parents or guardians is more frequent in Helsinki at all grade levels than in the country on average.
The “You can be hurt even by a loved one” campaign will launch on 12 September 2022.
How to get help for violence in close relationships: www.hel.fi/fivefingers
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What is violence in close relationships?
Violence in close relationships is violence whose perpetrator and target are or have been in a close relationship. The violence can be targeted at a current or former partner, child, close relative, friend or another close individual. Besides physical, it can also take the form of psychological or economic violence.
